Cooking asparagus with variety

Press, 14 November 1977, Page 14

Cooking asparagus with variety

Spring brings many welcome foods, among which is asparagus. Home gardeners who have an asparagus bed are fortunate, but if you de not grow it you can buy it freshly cut, and there is plenty available this year. Boiled and served with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon juice is as nice a way as any to serve asparagus, but there are many other methods and I pass on a few of them today. Asparagus should be cooked tied in bundles, standing upright. This ensures that the lower stalks, which require more cooking than the tips, are immersed in boiling water while the tips are steamed. Scrape the stalks free from scales before tying, then place in the base of a double saucepan with the upper part of it inverted on top to give the longer pieces of asparagus plenty of standing room. Simmer in boiling, salted water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the stalks are tender when tested. ASPARAGUS BEARNAISE Asparagus Bearnaise is very good served with a grill or hot roast chicken. This recipe serves four. You will need:— 1 bundle or 450 g freshly cooked asparagus (Hb). 2 egg-yolks 1 tablespoon lemon juice i teaspoon finely chopped onion 1 teaspoon chopped parsley i teaspoon chopped fresh mint 50g butter (2oz) Cayenne pepper Method: Drain asparagus very thoroughly and arrange on serving dish. Blend egg yolks with lemon juice, onion, parsley and mint. Melt butter and add, stirring or beating constantly until thoroughly blended. Add a very little cayenne and pour over the hot asparagus. CASSEROLE Asparagus Casserole makes an excellent luncheon or supper dish and is suitable for inclusion at a buffet meal. Serves six. You will need:—•

450 g cooked fresh asparagus or. tinned (drained) 1 dessertspoon grated onion 6 hard-boiled eggs 3 tablepoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1| cups milk or 1 cup milk and | cup evaporated milk or cream 2 potatoes 2 tablespoons white wine Salt and pepper Paprika. Method: Boil potatoes and slice. Melt butter in small pan, add onion and cook 3-4

minutes over low heat; add flour and cook another 2 minutes then gradually stir

in milk, which should be hot. Stir continually until thickened and smooth. Arrange asparagus spears, eggs cut in halves lengthwise and sliced potato in alternate layers in greased shallow ovenproof dish. Taste sauce for seasoning and add white wine to taste, pour over contents of dish; sprinkle lightly with paprika and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Gratqji cheese may be added. CRUMB OMELETTE An Asparagus Crumb Omelette makes an ideal Sunday breakfast or brunch. Serves three. You will need:3 slices white bread, jin. thick i cup warm milk 4 eggs 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional) 1 cup diced asparagus (drained) Salt and pepper Method: Remove crusts 'from bread, crumble into bowl and pour over the

milk; stand for 10 minutes. Separate eggs and beat yolks until light. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to crumb mixture together with asparagus. Fold in stiffly beaten egg-whites. Melt butter in large pan and turn in the omelette batter and cook over low heat until lightly browned underneath. Place in a pre-heated 400 deg oven or under a 300 deg grill to set and colour top. Addii tional hot asparagus spears can be served with it and hot crisp bacon rashers make another good accompaniment.

ROIXS CHEESE caiitf 3 u Asparagus and Ham Rolls with Cheese Sauce make one of my favourite luncheon dishes. For this you calculate ingredients according to number of persons you intend to serve. You will need:/ Thin slices of ham, large enough to contain three asparagus spears Cooked asparagus or tinned Processed packet cheese t Milk Nutmeg Seasoning to taste Method: Very quickly and lightly saute the sliced ham on both sides in a greased heavy-based pan; remove and place three asparagus spears on each slice; roll. Pour required quantity of milk into top of double saucepan over boiling water and grate or thinly slice the cheese into it, sufficient to make a sauce consistency when melted. Stir continuously until smooth. Season to taste with nutmeg and pepper. Arrange rolls in a greased shallow' gratin dish, pour over the sauce and reheat in a 400 F oven or under the grill.

POLONAISE Asparagus a la Polonaise can be served as a first course or an entree. Serves six. You will need:2 bundles or about 500 g asparagus I cup butter 1 cup soft white breadcrumbs 2 hard-boiled eggs 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Salt and pepper Method: Cook asparagus and drain well. Remove the lower stalks (these can be reserved for other use) keep hot. Melt butter in saucepan and when it foams stir in breadcrumbs and cook over low heat until the crumbs are browned. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the finely-chopped egg, parsley, and seasoning to taste. Arrange the asparagus spears in individual bundles on serving dish and pour some sauce over each. TARTE AUX ASPERGES Tarte aux Asperges is an ideal luncheon dish and may be served as a first course at a dinner party. It requires a cooked shortcrust pie shell. Makes an 8-inch pie. You will neet:— 675 g cooked asparagus (Hb). Cooked pastry pie shell 2 cups cream or evaporated milk I bayleaf 4 sprigs parsley 6 peppercorns 4 slices onion Pinch of powdered thyme and marjoram 1 tablespoon butter 3 tablespoons finely chopped cooked ham J cup grated cheese j cup fine dry breacrumbs Additional butter

Method: Combine cream or milk with bayleaf, parsley, onion, herbs and peppercorns and bring to the boil; simmer very slowly for 15 I minutes. Do not add salt. Melt butter and add the ham and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cream through a strainer to the ham and keep stirring until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer very 1 gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Arrange asparagus, after removing lower portion of stalks, in the cooked pie shell — points turned towards the centre in the first layer. Pour over a thin layer of sauce, just enough to cover. Arrange another layer of aspartgus with points towards the outer edge. Blend remaining sauce with the grated cheese and pour over. Sprinkle over breadcrumbs, dot with bits of butter and place in a 300 F oven until pie shell is throughly heated, then brown quickly under the grill before serving very hot.

FOOD AND RECIPES By Celia Timms